Steam
by Blazing Haired Flaming Eyed
Summary: Alibaba Saluja is hopelessly in love with Kougyoku Ren. Can he get her to return his feelings, or will the school's idol Sinbad take her away before he gets the chance to profess his love? And when old friends suddenly confess their hidden feelings, what will happen to Alibaba's peaceful high school life? A.U, Alibaba x Kougyoku High School romance. Rated T.


**This is a prologue to the main story. It is a chapter 0 essentially. There will be a lot more Kougyoku from the next chapter onwards. Thank you for reading :) Apologies in advance if characters seem OOC, that is not my intention but this is an alternate setting and thus I have had to alter some things.**

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After my first, rather eventful and embarrassing day of high school, I've come to realize one thing. I am in love.

I'm dragged from my thoughts when my phone rings, and as I reach over my bed to pick it up, I notice that it's my friend Aladdin calling. Swiping the screen, I answer. "Yeah, what's up?"

"How was your first day at high school Alibaba!" It wasn't a question more so than it was a demand. Aladdin isn't exactly what you would call a normal person by any means. For one, he has naturally long and blue hair. Did I mention his hair was naturally blue? He also is a giant pervert, he's tried to grope a random woman's boobs on more occasions than I can remember, which often leads to me getting wrongly accused. I think it's because he's naturally small and, dare I say cute, that allows him to play the victim. Thankfully the little pervert is a year below me, so I won't have to deal with his addiction with breasts for a full year in school.

"I think I'm in love." I reply, and only after the words leave my mouth do I realize what they were and who I was talking to. I'm never going to hear the end of it now.

"You could have come out with it earlier you know! I'm sure Morgiana feels the same way as you."

"It's not Morgiana, Aladdin. Besides, what on Earth makes you think she likes me? She rarely speaks and whenever she does it's usually berating me for doing something stupid!" Honestly, what makes him believe that? I'll admit that Morgiana is cute, unbelievably so, but she's nothing more than a close friend to me, almost like a sister. Oh, right. I should probably introduce you to Morgiana as well. She's my first friend, since we're both orphans and went to the same orphanage as kids. Her hair is a fiery red, though under the right light it dazzles in an almost pink hue. For as long as I can remember we've been close, and even after we moved out of the orphanage and into our own places, we've kept in touch. We're the same age but ended up in different classes. I never saw her today at school unfortunately.

"What do you mean it's not Morgiana!? Who else could it be but!?" replied Aladdin rather passionately. He must really be set on the idea of Morgiana and I being a thing.

I sigh as I rub my free hand on my temples. "Look, Aladdin. It's not Morgiana. It's someone else at my school, I just met her today and she's honestly the most beautiful girl I've ever seen." Hopefully that stops the little pervert from forcing his skewed views on who I like onto me.

"I could have sworn you two were already dating and just keeping it a secret from me though, what with how you two are so close and all!" He sounded genuinely disappointed. Was he always rooting for us to get together or something? "Ok, ok. Out with it then. Who is this mystery girl and why has she grabbed your attention so?"

"Her name's Kougyoku. I'm in the same class as her and I sit just behind her in class. Her hair is long and red, almost as long as yours…" As I go on about what she looks like, I can't help but vision her in my head again, causing me to blush. Get a hold of yourself, Alibaba.

"She sounds very pretty, Alibaba, but I hope that her looks is not what made you fall for this girl." For all his quirks he sure is wise where it counts.

"What kind of man do you take me for, my dear Aladdin?"

"Pervert, idiot, narcissist, klutz, social reject…." I can't help but wince at every word. And hey! I'm not the pervert here, you are!

"Last time I checked I wasn't the one grabbing the first pair of boobs I see every time we go down the street." Stupid little smurf. Who does he think he is, calling me a pervert like that? And hey, I'm not a narcissist!

"Sorry, I can't help myself from speaking the truth."

"Enough! I was just about to tell you why I fell for this girl too!" That definitely shut him up. Once I knew I had his full attention, I took that as a signal to continue. "Look, I can't really describe it. It's like one moment she was just any ordinary girl and then the next I was head over heels for her."

"Yeah that was a terrible description, you didn't explain anything. I'm still just as confused as ever." That little runt. I can just imagine him with a finger up his nose with a lifeless expression as he said that.

"If you do want something more, I guess I could tell you when it happened. Me falling in love, that is." Greeted with silence yet again, I proceeded to relay the events. "It was after the first period. Everyone was getting out of their seats and heading off to their respective classes when I tripped-"

"Typical."

"Watch it."

"Sorry."

"Anyways, as I was saying, I tripped over my own shoelace and in the process dropped all of my books. Everyone either laughed at me or just continued to walk along, but she… Kougyoku was different. She bent down and helped me, and… Yes it must have been then."

"Then… what?" Patience is a virtue my friend.

"After she helped me, she gave me this bright smile and wished me good luck."

"…."

"Aladdin?"

"That's it? She helped your sorry as up after you tripped and then smiled at you, said a few words, and you're telling me that's enough for you to fall head over heels for her!?"

"What's so wrong with that? It happens all of the time in romance books doesn't it? You know, the whole love at first sight thing."

"Yes but this isn't Romeo and Juliet, Alibaba!" I swear I could feel his frustration through my phone. And was that the sound of a hand slapping a forehead?

"Look, whatever you say, it doesn't change the fact that I love this girl known as Kougyoku Ren."

"That isn't love, Alibaba. It's infatuation at best."

"Whatever you say, Aladdin. It doesn't change the fact that I want to know more about her."

"Do you even know what love is, Alibaba?"

"Sure I do."

"What is it then?"

"It's when a boy is attracted to a girl and wants to be with her." There goes that sound again.

"You're close and yet so far off at the same time."

"What do you want me to say? The fact that it felt as if I was hit by a train when she smiled? Or the way her eyes sparkled when she smiled filling me with butterflies? Or maybe how it felt as if the world just stopped when she spoke?"

"Alright I get it Alibaba. Maybe I underestimated you there. Ok, so you like this girl at least. What do you plan to do with your feelings then?" What's his deal, acting as if he's an all-knowing love guru all of a sudden? Aren't you just supposed to be a perverted child with no love experience?

"I'm going to confess to her with all my heart tomorrow."

"Yeah you are definitely an idiot." That made me choke a bit.

"What the hell do you mean by that, Aladdin!?"

"You know next to nothing about this girl, her interests, what kind of person she likes, her favourite colour, nothing!" That hurts you know. "And yet you're planning on telling this girl that you love her!?"

"But she's so beautiful, if I don't confess to her now I'll never get the chance to. She'll surely be asked out by all of the guys at school soon!" I've never had luck with girls. Every time I tried to get close to one they've either been taken before I muster the courage to ask them out or I've done something stupid to make them hate me. Strangely, Morgiana has been the only girl to stick with me despite all of this.

"I understand your insecurity, Alibaba. Your past with girls hasn't exactly been…"

"Yeah…"

"But you can't let that cloud your thinking here! What reason would this girl have to accept your feelings? She barely knows you, heck, the only impression she has of you is that of a klutz." I can't help but agree. Ok, so I was being just a bit hasty there. But can you blame me? It's as if I've been cursed here, what with my terrible luck with the female variety.

"Alright, so what do you suggest I do, Aladdin?"

"Nothing yet."

"Sounds great!" Wait a minute…

"Now I know what you're thinking, Alibaba. I don't literally mean nothing. Just don't make a move on her right now."

"So what am I supposed to do? Sit idly and just wait for her to come to me?"

"In a way, yes."

"You're a great joker Aladdin."

"Thank you, I'm well aware."

"It wasn't a compliment."

"If you want any chance of being with her, you have to get to know her first, and in turn she has to know what kind of person you are too. Do you really want her image of you to stay as the guy who dropped his books all over the floor?"

"N-no, of course not!"

"Then go and get to know her better. I've never been in a relationship either but I've seen enough on TV and manga to know that you'll be rejected flat on your face if you confess to her now."

"Doesn't that make you just as bad as me?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Excuse me? Hello? Were you not the same pervert who called me out for my reference to romance in fictitious settings?

"Argh! I've had enough talking to you today!" Talking anymore about my hopelessness would likely put me in a depressed mood.

"Alright then, Alibaba. I hope you got something out of what I said to you. I genuinely wish you luck with this girl…" Aladdin then whispered, "…though I'm not sure if Morgiana would agree with this."

"What was the last part you said?" I could have sworn I heard him say Morgiana or something along those lines.

"Nothing! I'll talk to you tomorrow, Alibaba!"

"Yeah, you too. Thanks… I guess." After that, my phone went silent. I guess what he said was right. Confessing to Kougyoku now would most likely only lead to my impending rejection. But how am I supposed to get to know her better? I'm a blubbering mess to any girl besides Morgiana, and the last thing I want is for Kougyoku to see me flustered and stuttering like a lost child. Not wanting to expand on my thoughts, I quickly headed to bed.

Little did I know that the weeks to come would be both the most challenging yet most exciting weeks of my life.

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 **Hello everyone, thank you for taking the time to read my AlibabaxKougyoku story. This will be strictly Alibaba and Kougyoku though there will be hints of others like AliMor, SinKou etc. I don't really have a schedule because I am currently busy with school and exams so unfortunately I can't really promise anything when it comes to that. Anyways, I look forward to talking to you all again when I post the next chapter. Thank you. :)**


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